


A Siren's Song

by Cipheral (MemoriumOracle)



Series: Mystic Waters [1]
Category: Gravity Falls
Genre: Action/Adventure, Alternate Universe - Pirate, BillDip, Celtic Mythology & Folklore, Latin phrases, M/M, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Pirate Bill Cipher, Prophecy, Siren Bill Cipher, Siren Dipper Pines, Sirens, TRUST NO ONE, well part siren
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-12-23
Updated: 2016-04-19
Packaged: 2018-05-07 19:37:12
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,853
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5468471
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MemoriumOracle/pseuds/Cipheral
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Dream becomes reality when Dipper Pines is confronted by his idol, the terrifying yet enchanting pirate Bill Cipher. What he doesn't know though, is that the rumors are true. The rumors and tales of the pirate being part-siren are very much true. Every sailor on the seven seas all fear the mystical pirate who's name has a trail of blood that could cover the entire earth. One part of the crew, Dipper begins to wonder: Did his dream become reality or has he started to live what's been a nightmare all along?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. An Enchanting Tale

            Unknown was the dangerous and deadly pirate with golden eyes, solely for the fact that all those whom encountered him were slain with a cruel hand and terrifying smile. His name was but a whispered myth, a story to keep children from being naughty, and a way to keep ports from being robbed in the night. Bill Cipher was a name that struck fear into the hearts of sailors and shook the bones of retirees, and he was very much real.

            The description of his appearance varied from land to land, but there were traits that were always the same. In every tale, he had eyes of molten gold, hair of filaments from the same precious metal, and a voice as heavenly as that of a siren. In some, it was legend that he was actual a bastard child of a human and one of the beasts. In others, he was legend to be a siren himself, but with human legs.

            He was feared by all, but one young man.

            Dipper Pines was a mystery-enraptured boy who couldn’t help but be intrigued by the tales of the elusive pirate. He spent days upon days upon weeks asking travellers and fishermen for stories about the mystical man, but they all told him the same thing; to go home and not risk his life for pointless lore. This was much more to him than lore though, he knew the tales and legends were true, that the pirate existed.

            He knew because Dipper Pines himself was not fully human. There were reasons that nobody could resist his charm, that whenever he sang, people flocked by the hundreds to listen, that he got whatever we wished just by putting a little bit of effort into his voice. The brunet didn’t know it, but he was the offspring of a siren and a human, just like the one he was searching. He only knew that Bill Cipher was more than a story told by parents to scare their children from a connection he felt.

            He knew he was real, and he was certain that he would find him.

            It was on the day that a new and mysterious merchant named William came into the port that Dipper Pines would unknowingly get his wish.

            It started off as his average day hunting down stories to jot into his journal around port. Everyone he spoke to told him, once again, that he shouldn’t waste his time with fairy tales. Disheartened, he sat on the edge of the fishing dock and watched out at sea. He started to sing quietly. After a couple verses, another voice joined his, singing a low harmony. He got up, still singing, and turned to face the owner of the other voice. His eyes widened as he saw who was standing in front of him.

            The man looked exactly as the tales told, with hair of golden filaments and eyes of molten gold. His voice was low and lilting as he sang the perfect harmony to Dipper’s high and clear voice. Together, they created a melody that drew in passer-by’s by the dozens. Dipper met the blond’s eyes and felt himself being drawn in by the spell as well. When the two of them finished their song, they stood in silence, a few feet apart. As the crowd broke free of the remnants of the enchantment, they let out a collective gasp which was followed by whispering and even a few angered shouts.

            Dipper turned to look at the crowd of angry villagers and fishermen, all of whom knew him. He started to try and explain, but no one would give the young brunet a chance. Everyone had begun to yell and accuse the two of selling their souls to the devil, or making deals with sirens; of course, neither of which were correct. The crowd began to close in on them, forcing them closer to the edge of the dock. Dipper grabbed the mysterious man’s hand and whispered to him to trust him before jumping into the water, plunging into the depths of the sea.

            Dipper had always been skilled in the water. He swam the two of them over to one of the shores on the far side of the port. When they broke surface, the blond was gasping for air.

            “Oh, gods, I’m so sorry. I didn’t realize how long we were underwater for,” Dipper said, letting go of the man.

            “Don’t worry, don’t worry. I’m perfectly fine.” He replied, waving the brunet off. “You see, I’m like you. I’m not affected by water that much.”

            Dipper was stunned a bit. “You’re not?”

            “No, I’m not. I also know that attracting crowds when you sing is not something that is out of the ordinary,” The blond said.

            Dipper fumbled at the blond’s knowledge of this, “H-how do you…?”

            “I can tell that you aren’t normal, Dipper Pines, I can tell you’re like me. I don’t even need to do a test to prove it,” than explained, a chill running up Dipper’s spine as he said his name. He froze. He hadn’t told this man his name yet, so how did he know it?

            “I know all of our kind, without being told who they are. I have a list of names engraved into my mind and I know which name belongs to which person when I see them. Pine Tree, I suggest following me. Once your power is taken negatively, any allies that you once had will turn on you. That is, unless, they are like you, unless they have the same powers as you,” the mysterious merchant began to walk away, beckoning for Dipper to follow him.

            “Wait!” the brunet called out, “I’m not going. You’re rather suspicious and I-” Dipper froze mid-sentence as a golden eye glared back at him, the man’s head turned just slightly so that he could see Dipper without obstruction.

            The look that he was given turned Dipper’s blood to ice. It was a look that Dipper had only heard the tales of, and he immediately knew just who he was speaking to.

            The man standing in front of him was none other than Bill Cipher, the object of the dark tales he was so fascinated with. Once he gave it a bit of thought, he realized that he did strike an uncanny resemblance to the legends.

            “Are you sure you want to finish that sentence?” Bill asked, turning back to face away from Dipper, “Because I highly suggest you didn’t, unless, of course, you wish for your blood to be spilled.”

            Dipper nodded silently, obediently following him now. His mind was going a million miles a minute and he didn’t want it to slow down at all. He was almost certain that he was dreaming, though if he was, he didn’t want to wake up.

            Cipher was even more beautiful and stunning than the tales could ever cover, but he was also much more terrifying then they could convey either. His presence alone was enough to stifle any noise from the surrounding brush.

            When Bill came out in an overly familiar clearing, Dipper’s heart nearly stopped. There they were, standing in the back area of his family home. How Bill knew where they were going, Dipper wasn’t about to question, though his thoughts were answered as Mabel ran up to the two of them.

            “Hey!” she exclaimed as Dipper whipped around in front of Bill to stop her and protect her, “Dip-dip? Is there something wrong?” she asked, sensing his troubles.

            “He’s dangerous Mabel, don’t get too close to him,” he said in a low tone.

            Mabel made a noise like she was about to question it, but stopped when she saw the look in the Captain’s eyes. He looked ready to kill Dipper. What had transpired between the two? How had they even met?

            “Now, Pine Tree, I’m only going to ask this of you once,” The blond said, “Will you join my crew, even if you know who I am and what I do?”

            Dipper was about to protest, but he noted something in the man’s voice, or rather something that _wasn’t_ in the man’s voice. He had expected there to be charm or magic trying to catch him off guard, but there was none. He was asking Dipper sincerely if he wanted to join his crew. “Only if you let Mabel come to,” was his answer, turning to look at his sister and how there was a light of awe in her eyes.

            Bill grinned at the answer he received. Of course he would let the siren twins join the crew; it was his original hope to get both, but he only expected one. “Most definitely. I could use as many voices as possible,” he responded.

            At that, the twins rushed off to go grab their things, not even needing Bill to tell them what to grab. Dipper packed clothes, a book, a couple candles, and his journal and charcoal, while Mabel packed her own clothes, a set of paints, and a few of her necessities. They ran out, leaving a note for their Grandpa and Grunkle to find. Though it broke their heart to leave them, they both knew that this was something that they would never get the chance to do again, even if it was deadly, they felt that they needed to go.

            Bill was waiting for them out front, petting Mabel’s pet pig. He looked up when he heard the footsteps and was greeted with a matching set of excited grins. He could feel the joy radiating off of them, but he also felt trepidation. Off of Dipper, he felt a very strong sense of wariness. Oh, his guppy was right to be wary of him. Every single tale was true, and he was proud of it. He was more than a legend, he was a nightmare and he could have asked for nothing better.

            “We best get going. I docked the _Siren Vocem_ here just to do a quick supply run, and possibly get new crew members,” the mysterious blond explained, beginning to walk, the twins on either side of him.

            “Well, you got both! It must be your lucky day~” Mabel teased, skipping along.

            Dipper sighed, wondering why he let this happen. This was most definitely going to end badly; he could feel it down to his bones. Becoming part of the most notorious pirate’s crew was going to be their downfall. A weight settled itself on his shoulders as he thought of the cursed prophecy the nymph gave him so long ago. He would never share his knowledge of it, not until his inevitable demise that seemed to rapidly approaching. The memory came rushing back without his consent, the strange voice echoing in his mind:

            _A pirate cloaked in gold_

_A ship of decades old_

_You will find yourself upon a crew_

_A flag with an image of yew_

_And upon a fortnight of being by his side_

_You will meet your inevitable demise_

_He will be your downfall_

_Unless you give your all_

_Break his curse, set him free_

_Only then, will you let be…_

            He shuddered involuntarily at the verses that recited themselves in his thoughts. Looking up, he saw that they were already at the port, walking up to the ship. Just like in the prophecy, the flag, or actually sail, had a branch of yew patterned onto it.

            “Careful, now, it’s slippery and I don’t want to have to dive into the water to fish you out,” Captain Cipher laughed as they all boarded.

            The ship was stunning, to say the least. The hull, masts and decorative oars were all stained a beautiful deep mahogany. All the rails, the deck, and the portholes were plated with gold designs on a black stained wood. Every sail except the main one was unembroidered, and they were a light cream colour. The wheel was a deep brown with the ends of the bows plated gold as well, and the throne chair in front of it was simple brown, but elaborately carved, swirls and braided patterns etched into it in stunning detail.

            After over an hour of introductions, most of which Dipper immediately forgot with the next name, Bill led them to their spots in the crews’ quarters. It was simple, light brown wooden walls and floors, hammocks hung up for each crew member, and space next to and under each hammock for that person’s belongings. The twins got hammocks next to each other, both being told to set their things down and settle in a bit before coming up above deck to meet the last member of the crew.

            “Isn’t this exciting?!” Mabel squealed, shaking her brother a bit in her excitement, “We’re really going to get to explore everything! We get to see the world, Dipper!”

            His sister’s excitement was all he needed to get him enlivened for the trip ahead of them, no matter how brief his own would be. “We do, and it just seems so unreal… I never thought we would get away from that shack. No matter how much I love it and Grunkle Stan and Grandpa Ford, I need this,” he said, a large grin appearing on his face, “I mean it; I couldn’t miss this if every force in the universe wanted me home…”

            The smile stayed on his face, but the weight on his shoulders came back.

            “Let’s go see this last crew member, Dip-dop,” Mabel said, tugging her brother along, not noticing his expression fall the moment she looked away.

            Above deck was chaotic. People were running around, putting things in different rooms below deck, passing each other boxes of supplies, and repairing small things on board.

            Standing in the middle of the mess was the Captain and a red-headed girl, who Dipper assumed was the last member of the crew. Approaching them, the two stopped their conversation.

            “Ah, Pine Tree, Shooting Star, this is that last member I told you about,” Cipher said, seeing them, “This is Wendy Corduroy, but I call her Red. She’s the second in command around here, so I suggest not getting too mouthy with her. I actually need a word with Pine Tree here, so I hope you two ladies don’t mind acquainting yourselves in the meantime,” he turned his attention to Wendy and Mabel who agreed to leave the two men alone for a bit.

            “What do you need to-” Dipper started, being hushed almost immediately.

            “I know you know who and what I am, but so does the entire crew. Most every member of the crew is like me, including your sister and you, as I’ve informed you, I believe,” he said, his tone curt, “Now, if you know the same things I know, then you know how limited your time here is. You have a fortnight before something happens, and whatever that thing is, you need to be prepared for it. I suggest you stick close to me until your time is up, and you might have a chance.”

            The only thing Dipper managed to say was, “How do you know about what the nymphs said?”

            “I know lots of things. Lots of things…”


	2. Welcome Aboard!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> IMPORTANT NOTICE ABOUT A SIREN'S SONG:
> 
> Look who finally fucking updated this goddamn story.
> 
> I really didn't want to, if I'm being honest here. Here's why:
> 
> I know you all love this story and find it oh-so-interesting, but please don't ask when I'll update it, or ask me to please update. If I haven't made it clear in the four month or so absence of updates, this is not my main story. My main story is Photographs, and it gets updates fairly often (every two weeks or so), and that consumes a lot of my time. Not to mention that I have homework, as well as keeping up with family and friends, and if I end up getting the job I applied for, there will be even less time to write.
> 
> Let me get one thing out of the way on this before I go any further: I love that you all love this story. I appreciate every comment and kudos and bookmark so much, but please, try to give those to my other story as well. I hate that this one is getting (and at one point was) more popular than my other fic, that I have been pouring my heart and soul into, with every day, and I wouldn't be surprised if this chapter gets A Siren's Song skyrocketing with views, but if you're actually reading this, what I, the author, a real human being, wrote as an important notice, then I would ask of you to maybe look at my other BillDip fic and recommend that one instead of this one if you're going to recommend anything I write.
> 
> That's really all I have to say on the matter. I'm really reluctant to update this fic, and I hope that you all understand why.
> 
> Comments, Kudos and Bookmarks are all appreciated and encouraged.

The next day, it was time for the two to learn about the routines on the ship. The second mate, Wendy came in at the break of dawn to rouse the twins for them to start their day.

When Dipper got up on deck, still rubbing his eyes and yawning, he froze at the view. It was beautiful. The sun rising over the water, different shades of red, orange, and pink shimmering and shining with the silhouettes of clouds and a mass of land that was probably where they had left from late last night.

“Quite a sight, isn’t it Pine Tree?” a familiar voice said from behind him. “Yeah, this is what the sea life is about, once you’ve been with her for so long. You learn to love the way the ship rocks with the waves, and waking up at the ass crack of dawn isn’t too bad when you get to see this. Every once in a while though, you need to walk on land and remember just why you sail the seas. It refreshes all the qualities she has, and just why you love ‘er.”

Dipper turned to look at Bill, who was standing by his shoulder and staring off into the distance at the sea and the sun.

“Is that why you sail, Captain?” Dipper asked, deciding to keep things formal until he got permission to call him by name.

“Aye, that’s most of it,” he said, glancing down at the brunet, “but I also sail because of the freedom and mystery of it.”

When Dipper didn’t respond, he continued.

“Think about it: we’re in a place that’s owned by no one, and some of it isn’t even charted. There could be islands or full on landmasses as large as, or larger, than our own countries out here. Think about how they found the New World less than a century ago, and how it was already inhabited by people. I’ve been there, to the New World, and the Natives are actually quite pleasant people if you’re kind to them. I taught them a song, and in return, they taught me one of theirs.

“The Earth is a huge place, and so much of it is still undiscovered. There’s adventure at every turn, and it’s never dull when you’re out on the waters. You can do what you want, be who you want to be, and you won’t be judged for it, at least not on my ship.”

Listening to Captain Cipher talk, Dipper could begin to see the appeal, and exactly how it was possible, for people to live out at sea. It was only the start of his first day off land, and he was already beginning to love it, especially with a view like that to start off each day. The prospect of being so far from land at times did frighten him a bit, but he knew that it would be fine, because he wasn’t alone.

“Anyways,” Bill said after a few minutes of silence between the two, “I think it’s about time that you and your sister get initiated into the crew and begin to learn the way things work around here.”

“Initiated?” Dipper questioned as his shoulder was grabbed by the taller man.

Instead of responding though, Bill just steered him to the upper deck. Mabel was already there with Wendy, seemingly waiting for the Captain and he to arrive. Dipper gave his twin a small smile which she returned with twice as much vigour.

A sharp, piercing whistle sounded through the air, catching the attention of the entire crew, causing them to stop and look up to where the Captain was standing with his first mate and the two new recruits.

“Everyone,” he started, “I’m sure you all have heard and have spoken to the new recruits at least once.” A round of nods greeted his statement. “Well, it’s time for these two to be properly initiated into the crew!”

A loud cheer rose from the rest of the crew standing on deck. Dipper wasn't quite sure what to expect as an initiation, thanks to the legends about how ruthless this crew was, and probably is now that they have proven themselves to be real. He was expecting some sort of branding, not having an entire barrel of what was most likely various kinds of alcohol mixed together dumped over his head. Beside him, Mabel gave a loud whooping cheer as she shook off the excess liquid, jumping up and down in excitement.

Dipper sat there, in slight shock, as the crew began to sing a shanty about loving the sea and how free it was. It seemed to him as if the initiation was complete, for his lively twin was prancing about on deck, singing her heart out as the crew taught her the song as they went.

He was so caught up in watching his sister dance around, that he didn't notice that the captain was still standing behind him until he let out a laugh when Mabel was dipped by a cabin boy that looked to be around their age. Dipper jumped and turned around to see the blond man standing there laughing a bit still.

“Why don't you go and join the celebration?” Captain Cipher asked, leaning on the rail that made sure people didn't fall off of the upper deck. “You just became a member of the crew! It's kind of a big deal you know, seeing as I only take the best to be a part of this family.”

“Family?” Dipper questioned back, “What do you mean family?”

“I mean that everyone here protects each other. We refuse to let others take advantage of us, and we shoot from the hip with impressions of people,” he explained, “Like, take you for example. From what I've seen of you, you're highly cautious and don't like to take many risks for fear of being hurt.”

“Oh trust me, I take more risks than I probably should, if we're being honest here.” Dipper mumbled, not looking at the captain.

“When I say risks, I mean to say things like putting yourself on a limb socially. You make take risks when getting into various situations, but you're too introverted, as far as I've seen, at least to be on this crew for very long.” Bill explained, motioning at the rest of the crew. “Look at all of these lovable idiots. They all know they can trust each other, and they do. You remind me a bit too much of myself kid, and that's not a good thing.” The captain's expression darkened a little bit at the statement. He almost looked upset to Dipper, but the moment then passed and the blond went back to being as cheery as ever, patting the younger man on the shoulder. “I hope that closed-off attitude will wear off by the halfway point of your fortnight, or else, who knows what may happen..”

With that final mysterious statement, the Captain parted ways with the brunet, calling out to Wendy to inform her of the day's plans.

Dipper stood there for a few moments, thinking about the nymphs and their morbid prophecy. How did the captain know about it? Did they tell him something something similar? Deciding it would be better to let it be for the time being, he went to find his sister on the main deck. Not to his surprise, she was flirting with the cabin boy who seemed to be getting slightly uncomfortable.

“Mabel!” he called out, walking up to her, effectively cutting off the unwanted attention to the cabin boy.

She all but pushed the poor boy out of the way to get to her twin, tripping over her own feet as she hurriedly ran across the deck. “Isn't this exciting?” she squealed, wrapping him in a vice-like hug, “We're finally getting to see the world!”

“Mabel, please quiet down...” Dipper said, pulling her off to the side, away from prying eyes and ears.

“What's wrong, bro-bro?” she asked, her voice serious and hushed.

“There's something wrong here, Mabel,” he whispered, “Something about this ship is really off, and I have a feeling I know what might be the cause of it...”

“You feel the weird way everyone acts towards Bill as well?” she questioned.

Dipper nodded, a grimace on his face, “Not just that. There's something I need to tell you, and you need to promise me that you won't freak out over it or read too deeply into it,” he let out a deep sigh, “I hate to say this, but I've been keeping it from you for a while, out of my own fears about it.”

“Let's go somewhere a little more private,” Mabel suggested, “Because I doubt you want the captain to overhear it.”

“He already knows about it somehow. I'm not sure how he knows about it, but he seems to know exactly what was said to me,” he rushed out.

“Alright, then just say it, Dipper,” she said, eyebrows crinkling together a bit.

It was then that Dipper told her about the prophecy he was given, and the exact words said that day.

▲▼▲

_Dipper stood by the water, gazing into the blue-green depths with something akin to adoration. Taking off his socks and rolling his trousers legs up, he waded into the cool lake, revelling in the soothing contrast the chill lake water gave in comparison to the hot summer air. Once up to his knees, he stuck his hands in and waved them around a bit, scooping up some of the water and splashing his face with it, running his fingers through his soft, brown hair. He loved the lake in the summer, loved the way it provided the easiest and best way too cool down when it was too hot out._

_He stayed like that for a while, simply walking back and forth, occasionally cupping some of the water up in his hands to pour on his hair or take a drink. At one point he decided that a swim sounded like a great idea, so he peeled off his kind of too-small shirt and tossed it over to the bank with his shoes and socks._

_Right as he was about to dive in though, a pair of large, watery eyes rose out of the depths and peered straight at him. As the creature spoke to him, the voice seemed to resonate everywhere around him, yet only in his head all at once._

_“Be careful, young one. Us nymphs have seen your future, and within it lies a grave fate. Heed these words, spoken by the voices of our ancestors, and let them not fill you with fear, but with determination to get the best outcome of the many possibilities that are out there...”_

_The ancient voices then whispered the prophecy that would haunt Dipper's dreams for years. Once the verse had been spoken, Dipper stumbled backwards before falling onto his rear. When he looked to where the nymph had been previously, it was no longer there._

_After that, Dipper had gone home. He had stayed in his room for as much time as possible the rest of the week, flat out refusing to leave the house for almost two. He had pushed everyone away in fear that he would lose them, losing himself in the process. It had taken both his sister and the rest of their family to finally coax him back to reality. Even after he returned to them, he kept the verse a secret, the original fear of losing them all buried deep in his subconscious..._

▲▼▲

When he had finished telling Mabel about that day, she didn't respond immediately. He stood there, nervously waiting for her to finish her thought process, wringing his hands together in anxiety. When Mabel finally looked back at him, it wasn't with pity or fear, but with a stone cold look of determination and readiness.

“Dipper, whatever comes at you, we can handle it. Two weeks to break Bill's curse? We've done harder in less time,” she said, putting her hand on his shoulder.

“Wait, what? Bill's curse? Where did you get that from?” Dipper questioned.

“The lines 'A pirate cloaked in gold', 'And upon a fortnight of being by his side', and 'Break his curse, set him free',” she explained, “It would make sense that the one that it's talking about is Bill. He's the only pirate around here that wears gold.”

Dipper nodded, the reality of the situation beginning to sink in.

Bill was the only pirate on the seven seas that wore gold in the legends. None of the pirates known to be real wore the colour in fear that they would be mistaken for the demon. Bill Cipher was the one creature that struck fear into the hearts of even his own human counterparts. The Gold Devil of the Seven Seas was something feared by all. All but one, even as he stood on the deck of the ruthless killer's ship, knowing that he could easily be killed for all that he knew in two weeks time. The only one who wasn't afraid of him was a boy named Dipper Pines, the boy who only got more and more intrigued by the demon with every breath he gave and took. Dipper Pines, the boy who was destined to die upon this ship or find solace with it; the boy that was capable of breaking the demon pirate's curse. Dipper Pines, the one with the sky on his forehead.

Dipper Pines, the only one on the planet that knew, and accepted, his fate on the seas.

Dipper nodded at Mabel in a quick farewell before turning and going back to the main part of the deck.

He was Dipper Pines, and he knew he was fated to die on the water.

 


End file.
